Sondheim Commercials - 1970s

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 10:25am

For those who lived in and around NYC in the 1970s and 80s, you know that Broadway tv commercials were a big thing. A Chorus Line, Pippin, Evita, Cats were all run in heavy rotation.

But I don't remember any Sondheim commercials. Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd. Were there any Sondheim commercials?

[James2]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 11:20am

Here are two for Sweeney Todd (one for Broadway, one for the tour):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90vBH847AD4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dgdz-XifyU

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 12:33pm

Thanks James2 for finding these. I really enjoy looking at all of these commercials. They are great time capsules of the American Musical Theater.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 3:43pm

Sweeney Todd's such a well known and beloved property now, but I do wonder how that national tour commercial was viewed in the early 80s. For anyone completely unaware of the show it must have looked like utter madness.

[jv92]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 3:45pm

The first show, to my knowledge, to use a TV commercial was PIPPIN. I gather than that the first three Sondheim-Prince collaborations were not given the TV commercial treatment, and I don't think PACIFIC OVERTURES probably ran long enough, so SWEENEY TODD had to be the first. INTO THE WOODS also had a nice little spot available on YouTube.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 4:40pm

"The first show, to my knowledge, to use a TV commercial was PIPPIN."

Which I find very fascinating. All through the 1950s and 60s, nobody thought that running a tv commercial was profitable? Was Ed Sullivan the only one that had the foresight to "advertise" Broadway?

[HorseTears]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 4:52pm

I feel like I've seen an interview with Nancy Coyne (of Serino/Coyne) discussing this topic, Goth. I believe, at the time, radio was still seen as a more impactful and effective way to reach potential audiences. But, I agree, it is odd that it took THAT long for anyone to realize the value in tv advertising.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 5:16pm

Though they weren't commercials as such, Broadway performers often appeared on Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas to do a number or two from the show. My very first exposure to FOLLIES was seeing Sondheim with Yvonne, Alexis and Dorothy (I think) performing some numbers (including "Foxtrot") around the grand piano. It was NOT enough of a draw to get this 16-year-old to pester his folks for tickets however.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/4/14 at 5:28pm

Perhaps the producers thought that the cost of cutting a commercial was too high? (Does anyone know when the Tony Awards started broadcasting production numbers?)

These commercials were part of my childhood experience and helped to foster an appreciation for the theater.